


Submerged

by CursedAesahaettr



Category: inFAMOUS: Second Son
Genre: Exploration of an OC, Tags will be updated accordingly, additional canon characters to be introduced at some point, includes mentions of canon events but no re-writes of them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2018-12-10 00:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11680230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CursedAesahaettr/pseuds/CursedAesahaettr
Summary: She's been running for so long it feels like the world has changed entirely since she last felt safe enough to settle down. Seattle holds promise, and she's been able to keep this home for months now, but of course it's now when she feels safest that the D.U.P. finally catch up to her. What she hadn't counted on was finding that three new Conduits were roaming the city streets. She doesn't know them well, but she can't shake the feeling that change is finally on the horizon.





	1. Rescuer

Of the many developments that the D.U.P. underwent since last she was in their custody the forceful introduction of concrete abilities was her least favorite. Dark stone bound her tight, pressing her wrists together at an uncomfortable angle and biting into her ankles when she attempted to wriggle free of her restraints, all to no avail. She’d narrowly escaped being imprisoned once five years before; they wouldn’t let her get away again so easily.

“This is Officer Rook reporting in. We have the bio-terrorist Michiru Sato in custody, requesting transport from downtown.”

“So this is how you deal with Conduits now, is it?” The words were spat in the direction of a heavily armored trooper, frustration and unconstrained venom lacing her tone. “You don’t even give them the dignity of being knocked out when you parade them through the city! Do you always drag my people from the streets in concrete chains or am I just _special!?_ ”

Blunt pain lanced through the back of her skull, one of the agents surrounding her having slammed the butt of his assault rifle against her head. “Pipe down, freak.”

Michiru wavered where she stood rooted to the ground, sucking in a harsh breath.

“Sir, requested transport has been deployed with an ETA of fifteen minutes.”

“Understood. Return to your assigned posts.” A flash of black fabric entered her vision right as a gloved hand clutched her jaw, forcing Michiru to look up into the face of her captor. He was one of many high-ranking agents who wore little armor, entrusting his safety to his concrete abilities. _Hypocrites_. “As for you, Ms. Sato, I think my men have suffered enough from your incessant barking. I’d tell you to get comfortable but you won’t have a choice in the matter.”

The harsh grip he held her with vanished and in the same instance the concrete binding her rumbled at Michiru's feet, crawling up her body to encase her within. She had just enough time to scream in pain before darkness overtook her.

— 美智瑠 —

Teasing fingers worked through Michiru’s hair. She winced when they caught into a tangled lock, but they soothed the pain by massaging her scalp where the strands were tugged.

“I know you’ve been busy this past week but you’ve _seriously_ gotta brush your hair.” One of the hands playing in her hair reached around to tap against the tip of her nose then.

Michiru let out a huff and sat up on her friend’s plush couch, twisting around to face the darker-skinned woman. “Sylvia, _please_. If you’re going to complain, you should just let me move in with you. Then you can do my hair for me every morning and save yourself the breath. You could even dress me up if you’d like.”

“You just wanna be spoiled,” Sylvia teased. Her friend stood up and stretched her arms above her head. “I’ve already got _one_ spoiled pet; can’t afford a second one, babe.”

As if to make her point an eager K.C. Spaniel bounced up from his bed when he saw his owner making her way into the kitchenette and pranced after her, his wispy black tail wagging furiously. Sylvia gave the most dramatic gasp she could as if only just noticing her adorable companion and opened a jar of puppy treats. “Isn’t that right, Jonas? You’re _so spoiled_ , aren’t you li’l fella?”

Jonas barked and spun in place when he spotted the bacon-flavored treat, obediently laying down when Sylvia made a motion with her hand. Michiru giggled behind her hand.

“He’s a good boy, though.” Michiru waited until Jonas was given his snack to go over and kneel down to pet him.

“ _Sure_ ,” Sylvia mumbled. “A good boy that still pees on my bed at night.”

“That one isn’t his fault.” Michiru faced her friend, motioning down to Jonas who was just finishing his treat. “He’s in there for hours, he can’t get down on his own-“

“He _won’t_ , anyway.”

She scrunched her nose. “He _won’t_ get down on his own. So compromise; take him out before bed, let him pee outside the apartment. Or get him some doggy steps. Put a puppy pad in the corner.”

Sylvia paused to consider, slowly nodding her head. “He’ll hate the steps, but that first idea… That could work. Thanks.” She fake punched the other girl’s arm before moving back into the living room. A cursory glance at her phone screen confirmed the time. “Hey, Malcolm should be getting off of work now. If we’re gonna meet him down at the pier we should start walking now. I can’t wait to see this surprise of yours.”

Michiru’s body went rigid, but she quietly agreed. Sylvia went on about the weather, grabbing their jackets. It was going to rain hard into the evening, so the pier would be relatively empty at this time of night. That would be fine. It would be perfect for what she needed to share with her closest friends.

— 美智瑠 —

The jerk of a vehicle startled her from her daydreaming, her body idly drifting in the seat as the vehicle turned onto a ramp. She’d been sitting there for only a handful of minutes but already the stench of gasoline was starting to make her nauseous. Seven other supposed conduits filled the seats of the bus meant to cart them to the center of southern Seattle, to the wretched tower that once housed the city’s local news station. The highway that connected every district of the city was closed off to be used exclusively by the D.U.P.; not even a stray traffic jam stood between her and certain torture.

Worst of all, the elevated road had the perfect view of Puget Sound, its glistening surface feeling like a final taunt before Michiru was locked away far from the beauty of the world.

“ _Please_ , you can’t do this to me.” From three rows up a man no more than five years older than her was pleading with the guard sitting across from him. He’d been begging every agent he saw since being lumped into the same suspicion pen she’d been housed in. “I’ve never had special powers a day in my life. I can’t be taken to jail, you have to understand! This is some sort of mistake-“

“The scans show you have the gene,” Was the agent’s cold reply. She didn’t even turn her head to acknowledge him. “That’s all the evidence we legally need.”

By now the man was losing his control, edging closer to the edge of his seat, toeing the line between a desperate plea and a show of resistance. “But I’ve never harmed anyone in my life! I have a girlfriend who needs me! We have a daughter for _Christ’s sake_ ; I need to take care of them!”

Her head tilted up, a subtle show of interest in his story. “A daughter?”

“Yes!” The man’s face lit up with a glimmer of hope, as though this information would be his saving grace. Michiru’s blood ran cold; she knew better. “She’s only three years old, her mother was diagnosed with MS, please- She can’t get around well and she can’t take care of her alone.”

The agent stood from her seat, ordering him to sit back while she stepped up to the driver. She lifted the radio off of its charging station and spoke quietly into it. Michiru couldn’t see his face anymore but she could see the way his skin went pale, his body seizing up with realization.

“WAIT! You can’t let them take her!” He rushed to his feet to follow the woman to the front of the bus. Immediately every guard on the bus had their focus on him, at least two rifles already aimed and ready to dispatch the man.

His bound hands made brief contact with the woman’s arm and a shot fired. Michiru could see the bullet pierce the man’s leg just before her world tipped sideways.

The bus was weightless, launched a solid ten feet down the highway, and she landed hard on her shoulder, her cry of pain drowned by the shriek of metal on concrete. Shouts rang out from the D.U.P. agents around her as they struggled to get out of the bus and face whatever had assaulted their caravan. Dimly she could hear shouting as they rushed farther from where she was laid out on her back. The other prisoners around her scrambled to their feet as best as they could and made for the doors of the bus, and though the going was slow she followed suit.

The sight that greeted her was nothing short of horrifying. One of the buses that had been trailing behind theirs was also overturned, but it was wedged just so against the barrier of the highway that no one could get out without cutting themselves on the windows that the agents had to shoot out. And all surrounding them were creatures straight from legends, winged demons swooping down at the agents to knock them from the bridge and chilling angels firing bright lights at the D.U.P. from a distance.

Already a few of the prisoners from her bus were fleeing the scene, making a break for the nearest off-ramp. Michiru hesitated for a moment. She couldn’t risk dying in this nightmarish firefight, and she didn’t have access to her powers, but _fuck_ , she couldn’t bring herself to leave those people to _die_.

Wasting no time, she sprinted behind the agents engaged with their winged attackers. An elderly woman was being coaxed from the shattered window at the front of the bus, a man bracing her hands on his arm from the outside.

“Get back inside!” Michiru shouted, sliding to a stop beside them. “She’ll be sliced to pieces, we need to break the glass all of the way.”

The man nodded in acknowledgement and passed the woman off to one of the prisoners still inside the bus so she wouldn’t be hit by any glass shards. Michiru stepped up with the man and raised her bound hands. Counting off together, they used all of the might they had to bash the glass in. It splintered beneath them and caved in, offering a safer exit out.

While all of this went on the D.U.P. were being outnumbered and, sensing they wouldn’t be able to overpower the demons, began to turn their sights back onto the fleeing prisoners. Michiru turned to try and distract the agents – a futile idea with no no real plan behind it – but hands clamped down onto the yellow vest that every D.U.P. prisoner was forced to don and she was ripped from the firm ground below before she could do anything.

“No! Wait! I have to help them!” She squirmed in the creatures hold and looked up to face her new captor. No true face could be seen, its visage structured like a human head but with features more similar to armor than anything organic.

More shocking than this was the voice it spoke with; synthetic sounding and almost as if it was a recording through a speaker. “Please remain calm; no harm will come to you. We come to rescue you.”

“ _Rescue?_ ” Michiru craned her neck around, catching a glimpse of other prisoners being whisked away before the angel weaved through a series of apartment buildings.

“You will be taken to safety, as will each of your companions.”

She shut her eyes tight and forced a few deep breaths into her system. If not for the dull pain in her arm she would have been able to cling to the belief that she was having an awful dream while on the D.U.P. bus.

Before long she found herself in a large open square with massive screens showing various news reports and advertisements. The angel politely told her to close her eyes until she was let onto solid ground. Frankly, by that point she didn’t want to know the reason why.

She felt a brief wave of static electricity running along her skin and making her hair stand on end and then _finally_ she was set on her feet, the pair of hands bracing her only long enough to make sure she had her footing before vanishing in a flash of light.

Breathing deeply, Michiru scanned her surroundings. The room was dim, lit only in the distance by faint blue light. Feet shuffled from the same direction and a hooded young man came scurrying out to greet her.

“Are you hurt at all?” He held out his hands and made a motion towards her bound ones.

She gave him a cautious once-over before holding out the bindings, watching him get right to work unclasping them. “A bit bruised, maybe some scratches. I don’t believe anything is broken.”

“Good, that’s good. Ah- Could you turn around? The catches are on the- Here just-“ The man waited for her to move around to undo the vest, tossing it and the bindings aside. “Are you okay? I mean, like you’re okay _physically_ , but…”

Michiru rubbed her wrists to soothe the chaffing there. “I’ll be fine.” She stepped a bit away from him before turning back. “Actually, do you have any water?”

He gave a hurried nod and started back down the hallway. “Yeah, keep some bottles in the back. There’s room here to sit or lay down. So you can, y’know… Make yourself comfortable.”

She followed a few steps behind him, but then a buzzing sounded from behind her and the abrupt sound of radio interference startled her into twisting around to see what happened. Another prisoner had arrived and her rescuer tripped over himself to turn back to help them, tossing a quick apology over his shoulder. The mini fridge in question was at least visible where a small mattress was set up in a side room, and she made the quick decision to gravitate towards it while he was busy.

— 美智瑠 —

“How could you!?” Every nerve in her body felt like it was lit up with electricity. After resisting arrest and escaping to the safety of a familiar beachside neighborhood Michiru had hopes that her friends would be able to aid her. Never in all of her life did she expect that Malcolm would have handed her over to the authorities on a silver platter.

“I have to look out for my little sister’s safety!” Malcolm stood on the farthest side of the living room, having to physically restrain Sylvia from moving past him. “I had to let them know that there’s a dangerous bio-terrorist living nearby, so they can be prepared!”

Michiru dared a step forward, _almost_ relishing the blatant fear that step put on his face. “ **You know me!** We’ve been friends for eleven years, Malcolm! Never in my life would I purposefully harm you or Sylvia!”

“And what happens when you don’t mean to! How can we trust that you can control your powers; you said yourself you’ve only had them for a few months!”

“I love you two! You’re like _family to me!_ And yet you’ve traded my life-!”

Sylvia managed to squeeze through her brother’s arms and hurried to Michiru’s side. Tears streaked her cheeks and Michiru pulled her close, running her hand through dark curls.

“I only told them what I thought they needed to know in case something happened, Chi.” Malcolm took a deep breath. “I didn’t think that they would act immediately.”

“You told them where I bloody work!” Michiru snapped her gaze up at him, and this time she felt vindicated when she saw the way he flinched. “They tried to seize me in the middle of the bakery in broad daylight, Malcolm. You betrayed me!”

“Mal, please…” Sylvia turned back to her brother. Tears still fell but she was trying to stay strong. “We have to help her. We can’t stay here.”

“And where do you suggest we go? Wanna head out to San Fran or something? There’s nothing we can do.”

Michiru slowly let go of Sylvia, avoiding her friend’s gaze when she looked at her in confusion. “I can’t let you two come with me.”

“What? Why!?”

“Malcolm is right about one thing. It wasn’t the city police that came for me today. These officers… They won’t stop looking for me.” She folded her arms over her chest. Hopefully it hid the way her hands were shaking. “If I have to go on the run – and you _know_ I’ll have to – I can’t drag you along. They may not give up for the rest of my life, if the government has any say.”

“Chi, no-“

She turned away and started towards the door. “They may already know I’m here, and I can’t stay. I need to go.”

Sylvia tried to follow her but at that moment a harsh banging began at the front door, followed by a muffled demand for it to be opened. Malcolm ushered his sister behind him, glancing across the room to Michiru.

For a moment she did nothing, her mind racing for a way out while she remained frozen in place. Then at the drop of a pin she was racing for Sylvia’s bedroom without a word spared to her friends and wrenching open the western facing windows. Some fifteen feet below the Pacific churned gently, waves lapping at the shore as if beckoning her. She positioned herself in the wooden window frame and softly counted down. _Three… Two…_

— 美智瑠 —

More and more bodies filled the dark room, with each freed of their bindings and offered medical aid or water if they needed it. Michiru stuck to the small cubby of a bedroom where she could stay alone except for the elderly woman from earlier who lay asleep on the mattress. Once everyone was filed into the small space the young man who’d gathered them began asking questions about their situation to figure out where they needed to be delivered and whether any of them were proper conduits. It took a great deal of time for everyone to be sorted and taken back the way the entered to their freedom.

By the time he made his way to Michiru and the woman she was watching over he looked as exhausted as she felt. He helped the elderly woman up to her feet and shared a brief word before entrusting her to one of his angels. He let out a quiet huff when he sat down beside Michiru. “And last but not least.”

Michiru watched him from the corner of her eyes. “Sorry to disappoint, but I have no place where I belong.”

“Nowhere at all?” He didn’t seem outwardly affected by the news, fetching water for himself to take slow sips at. “Lemme guess: you’re homeless, had the unfortunate luck of carrying the gene, so the DUPs had no reservations just… Taking you off the streets. Am I close?”

She shook her head, he gaze falling to the bottle held between his thumb and forefinger. “I had a house; an apartment, right outside of the Lantern District, on the coast. They caught wind of me there. Had the entire building seized just to flush me outside.”

That news made him turn his head, pausing in the middle of his sip. “So you-?”

In answer she held out her hand towards him, little beads of water lifting from the open neck of his bottle to glide along her skin. “I tested positive almost six years ago. I thought I would be safe here, near such a large body of water. I was wrong.”

He didn’t say anything in immediate reply, watching her toy with the droplets. And then, as if only just realizing it, he tore his gaze away and put the cap on his bottle, sticking it in his jacket pocket. “I can take you out of the city. Well, not _all_ the way. But… You use water. I could take you to the pier, nick a boat for you-“

“No.” Michiru let the water absorb into her skin. “I won’t let them chase me off anymore. This is my home now. I just need to find someplace to lay low.”

He was frowning then. “I’ve searched high and low. No hiding place stays safe long. Well, except for here, but… there’s only a couple ways in and out.”

She let out a dry chuckle then, putting her head in her hands. “It sounds perfect. Where do I sign?”

“Heh. Actually…” Michiru looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. “I know it’s small and dark and everything, but there’s room for one more. You’re the only other _actual_ conduit I’ve come across. Everyone else can go home to friends or family and ride out this nightmare. You- We can’t really do that. But we _can_ stick together, and keep an eye on one another.”

Surprise clearly colored her face because he stuttered on with rosy cheeks. “It’s no five-star hotel, and I can only get fast food or microwave dinners, but- … It’s an option, okay? I kinda get this feeling that you’re alone a lot out there. You don’t have to be anymore.”

There was a lengthy pause while she considered his words.

"Okay.” She pushed herself up onto her feet and he scrambled to follow suit. “But if we’re going to stay together, I’d like to know your name.”

“Oh, right-“ He cut himself off with a soft laugh. “You can call me Eugene. And you are?”

“Michiru.” She held a hand, smiling in spite of her exhaustion when he shook it. “Michiru Sato.”

“Michiru, huh? That’s a nice name.” Eugene slipped his hands into his pockets and settled back down where his laptop was plugged in at the head of his mattress. “Have any taste preferences? I’ve gotta get one of my angels to find a second bed for you to sleep on, but I can order something to eat while we wait. There’re lots of Thai places around here, way too many barbecue restaurants, and one oddly placed pizza joint.”

She grabbed a second bottle of water before joining him on the mattress. “I don’t particularly mind. Which option is fastest?”

“Hm… I don’t know for sure. I think we should just go with a pizza. Are you okay with getting a supreme?”

“I don’t prefer it, no…”

Eugene nodded and scanned the restaurant’s website. “Meat lovers?”

She smiled over at him. “Much better.”

Later on as a pair of virtual angels rearranged the furnishings in their hideaway while they devoured a medium-sized pizza, Eugene wiped his face and turned in his seat to face her. “I know earlier I said you were probably really lonely. I, uh… I may have been projecting a little bit.”

Michiru glanced up at him, quickly swallowing the bite in her mouth.

“This feels really silly to admit. Especially since, like, this is only the first day we met? And you’ve been alone, _supposedly_ , for years, where I’ve been hiding out for a week. Well, I guess it was longer but- Er, well- … It just seems so insignificant in comparison. But I’ve been lonely, too. It’s why I made that offer.” Head hung low, he picked at the half-eaten slice in his hand, untrimmed nails digging into the crust.

Without a word she moved her paper plate aside and pulled him into a hug. She could feel him tense up beside her, but after a few quiet seconds warm hands found their places on her back. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you spoke up about it... I’ll be happy to be your friend after all they’ve put us through.”

A warm breath puffed against her ear, and Eugene held her a little more firmly. “Thank you.”


	2. Defender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shows up eight months late with Easter chocolates. Bet you didn't think there'd ever be an update to this one, huh? Jokes on you neither did I.

“So you have this list of races that you can be, and they all have special abilities or like, ‘inclinations’ I guess is one word for it? And once you pick what race they are you can choose up to two classes – that is, what they act as or use in battle.”

A soft huff left Michiru, brown eyes straining as they scanned the descriptions laid out on the screen before her. It was no wonder Eugene needed glasses if he always sat in the dark when he played his games. Though she couldn’t entirely fault him for it; the cellar of the NexJen gaming store was lovingly rented out at a low price, and for conduits in hiding they had to make do with the minimal lighting fixtures that had been installed for the below ground storage area. 

“So, you can choose  _ both _ classes now, if you’re really confident. Some people save the second class for later levels to see what second class would make up for the first’s weaknesses or give it a boost in battle.” Eugene didn’t seem at all bothered that she was barely listening. He was propped up on the back of the foldable chair Michiru sat in and had spent the past five minutes in that position explaining  _ Heaven’s Hellfire _ to her and walking her through setting up a character. Five whole minutes and she still couldn’t decide.

“Does it matter that much what race I should pick?”

She bristled just slightly when he chuckled, but if Eugene noticed her reaction he made no show of it. “It does, sort of. Like, you can pick any of them, and they’re all fine. I just picked the one that’s closest to human my first time. It was kinda boring, but no one really cared, and it didn’t make much difference in gameplay. So… Maybe just pick the one that looks the most interesting?”

Michiru slumped in her seat but clicked through the options once again. Each choice seemed  _ interesting _ , except the one that Eugene mentioned having chosen and a strange reptilian species. The game developers had done an excellent job of making each playable race appealing, but that didn’t help when she was indecisive by nature. After great deliberation she settled on an elegant bird-like race, giving her virtual avatar feathers the shade of ruddy autumn leaves. At least she would be pleasing to look at.

“Oh, the Wylanden are pretty cool.” Eugene stepped aside to look for a second chair, continuing on as he did so. “They make for good Shamans and Assassins. I’ve even seen pretty high caliber Beastmaster Wyls. Any thoughts on-?“

High-pitched chirping sounded from the computer’s speakers, accompanied by a small notification in the corner of the screen. 

Michiru pursed her lips and stood up without needing to be asked, letting Eugene take up the vacated chair and minimize the game screen to check the alert. “More D.U.P. activity?”

“Oh no…” Deft hands flew over the keyboard before him. The open fear on his face unsettled her and she studied the screens as news coverage flickered to life. 

_ “… to you live here in Pioneer Square where the D.U.P. have officially closed off unsanctioned travel in and out of Seattle. Previously the D.U.P. had verified that restricted access would be settled by the implementation of checkpoints throughout the city, armed with guards and scanning systems able to detect active and inactive citizens carrying the bio-terrorist gene, but new reports from D.U.P. officers have revealed further measures are in the works. Demolition has been scheduled for the major bridges on 520 this Wednesday and Thursday to contain the bio-terrorist threat within Seattle; citizens have been advised to finalize and submit their travel requests within the next forty-two hours to avoid being locked in indefinitely.” _

“They can’t possibly have authorization for this,” Michiru breathed the words, her chest feeling heavy. “Those are public bridges, it’d take months… Hell, maybe a  _ year _ to rebuild, all because they want to trap us in the city. They can’t get away with this, can they? Eugene?”

She turned her attention back to her companion, but he acted as if he hadn’t heard a word she said. His focus was entirely on the computer screens but his eyes were distant, seeing but not registering much of anything in front of him. He’d explained once that when he did so it was because he was using his powers to navigate through the computer like it was an extension of himself, replacing his normal senses with the digital stimulation of the network. 

Even now it still bugged her. What if someone broke into their hideout and she couldn’t get through to him in time? Not to mention he always went still as a rock. Michiru wouldn’t admit it to him, but she worried that one of these days she’d find him sitting there without a pulse.

“Damn it,” She sighed, forcing herself to take a few steps back. This was insane; news of the military reaction to the original set of Conduits was ever present in the minds of those who had been alive at the time and those who had grown up with it as a somewhat distant memory. But never in all of her years did Michiru think she’d be this close by when an inevitable repeat of that horror took place. The D.U.P. was turning Seattle into a goddamn  _ war zone _ , and no one was stopping them.

The room felt too warm for comfort. She was used to the heat put out by the multitude of monitors and computers kept on but this? She could hardly  _ breathe _ through the rage simmering under her skin. So without giving it much thought Michiru grabbed the secure phone Eugene had rigged up for her and a pad of paper. Frustrated as she was, she had enough sense to leave a note for him to find:  _ need some air, back in thirty. _

—  美智瑠  —

“How long have you had your powers?”

The man sitting across the table flinched, a nervous glance cast over his shoulder. The Nightlight Diner was practically empty this early in the morning despite its name advertising around the clock service. He buried himself further into his flimsy menu. “Year and a half. Went camping up in the mountains and got mauled by a puma. Next thing I know a tree trunk has it speared to the ground. Was the most scared I’ve ever been.”

Michiru lowered her gaze. She curled her hands around the hot mug of tea set in front of her to occupy them and draw a bit of warmth into her body. January’s chill still clung to the world, fueled by the light drizzle over rosy northern California. 

No more was spoken for some time. Their waitress took their orders and topped off her companion’s coffee, but it wasn’t until their food arrived that Michiru spoke up again. “You said your name was Bruno, right?”

He shoveled a large bite of eggs into his mouth and gave a nod. 

“Thank you for offering this.” She picked at her omelet. “If there’s anything I can give in return, please let me know. I don’t have much, but-“

Bruno set his utensils down and gave her a long, silencing look. “You looked starving. Paying for a meal is the  _ least _ I could do for you.”

“Still, you didn’t  _ have _ to.”

“Kid,” He shifted in his seat, turning his head back down to take another bite. “There’s not a damn thing I want from you. I couldn’t ask for you to give me what little you have, to sacrifice something just for a bite to eat. If you’re serious about this, I’ll just ask one thing: make something of yourself.”

Lips pursed, Michiru took a sip of her tea and waited for him to elaborate. “Us conduits have to be careful. I’m sure you’re  _ well aware _ of that by now, but… It’s not good to stay on the run forever. Eventually you’ll tire yourself out and they’ll catch up to you. Do like I had to: find a safe place to settle down and do something with your life. Find a job,  _ create one _ if you can. Keep the powers to a minimum. Practice controlling your emotions, if that’s a problem with you. Not my place to judge if it is…”

“ _ Right _ , I understand. Thanks.” She focused on her meal and kept her gaze low. The advice was appreciated but Bruno’s attitude irked her. 

“I don’t know if you’d be willing,” He continued, hesitance in his voice. “But you could work for me.” Bruno looked at her over the rim of his mug. “Over at the lumber mill. Run errands, do paperwork. Small scale stuff to get you on your feet.”

Michiru tapped her foot in place. She wiped her hands on her napkin and sat back, running her fingers through her hair. It was starting to get too long to manage, but she couldn’t afford much of anything, least of all a trip to the barber. “I’ll think about it…”

—  美智瑠  —

Waves rippled at her waist as she propelled herself through the murky water of Puget Sound. Harsh evening sunlight glittered on its surface. Ahead of her a pier lay filled with boats and canoes prohibited from accessing the waters surrounding Seattle. A thorough look at the dock showed it was devoid of any civilians to witness her arrival, so Michiru climbed up the far end of the pier and took shelter behind an anchored speedboat. 

What had started as a half hour walk around the block in Rainier to clear her head turned into a trip to the waterfront dock near Eugene’s hideout to inspect the fallout of the D.U.P.’s decision to destroy the only means of travel between the northern and southern sections of the city. Cars and pedestrians were already flooding the eastern bridge, watched by the ever vigilant soldiers in yellow as they hurried to visit family and friends or buy groceries from stores they would no longer be able to access.

Seeing them all worked up in a panic hadn’t exactly eased her worries. Considering her situation Michiru wasn’t sure if she really wanted to be calm in that moment, anyway.

So she’d crossed the water to spite what control the D.U.P. thought they had, making herself scarce in the thick webbing of alleyways. 

At least here in the quiet sections of Seattle the people were subdued in their frustrations and wouldn’t feed her anger. They complained to their companions and cursed the D.U.P. as she drew closer to their checkpoints, but they seemed complacent. They hated being under occupation, but they feared conduits far more. 

Michiru came to a stop just before one of the scanning checkpoints on the main road. A café nestled nearby provided shade with its awning while she slipped her phone from her purse. Still no contact from Eugene, not even a text. Apparently he wasn’t worried about her, but as far as she knew he was still sucked into his virtual information hunt which always had her worried about  _ him _ .

“Excuse me, miss.”

Cold brown eyes lifted from her screen and she fought against every nerve in her body trying to instinctively stiffen. A D.U.P. soldier had stepped away from his post to approach her, the shift of his gaze over her face only just visible through his tinted visor. 

He had to have recognized her. Could she even afford to think otherwise? She’d only been freed from custody a day and a half ago. Sure, they could’ve assumed she fled through the Sound, but they weren’t beyond searching the city just in case. 

“May I see some kind of identification?”

“Of course. Will my license work?” Michiru moved her satchel forward into plain view to dig through it, devising a plan while she made to search through its contents. Her brows pinched together, hands sifting the objects within hurriedly. “What the- …. Oh my God. Oh,  _ fuck _ . Where’s my wallet?”

“Ma’am, may I ask your name?” The motion he made to his partner didn’t escape her notice. 

Michiru turned to look around her. She offered up a silent prayer that  _ maybe _ they would buy into it and give her time to make her escape. “Hold on, please, I need to find it.  _ All _ of my money is in there-“

Hands wrapped around her upper arm as soon as she took a step. Lady Luck – or  _ whoever _ might have heard her – was not on her side today. She swore under her breath, making a swift heel-turn to bodily tackle the agent. Skin melted away into water and surged with the strength of a tidal wave to force the man to the ground. Within the mass of liquid that formed her fluid body the D.U.P. agent called out for help. His voice was swallowed up by a dense stream of water covering his face, immovable liquid chains forcing their way around his limbs to immobilize him. 

Michiru propelled herself into the air, clinging to the nearest brick wall and rushing along its surface, gaining elevation as bullets rained down in her path. As swift as she moved most of the agents could barely keep up. Her senses dulled when she used her aqua form but now and then when she breached to check her surroundings she could see flashes of black and yellow still trailing behind her. 

Through the current that guided her movement a different kind of flash appeared in her blurry vision, a distorted sound reaching her as she registered a magenta burst of light moving in the opposite direction. She pushed herself to the surface of her stream and came to a stop in the shelter of a greenhouse. Shouts still echoed up from the alleyways, a blend of civilian panic and D.U.P. radio chatter. The soldiers’ voices seemed to be fading away. Michiru heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed on the floor of the greenhouse. 

Before she could get too comfortable the same distorted noise returned in quick succession, louder now that she wasn’t surrounded by water. A faint humming noise followed it like that of an annoying industrial light bulb. More pink light lit up the far side of the greenhouse’s metal frame, the humming transitioning seamlessly into hurried footsteps a few moments before a woman appeared in the open doorway. 

“Not gonna wanna stay here long, sis. Might’ve bought you ten minutes tops before they come lookin’ for ya with more goons.” The woman watched her struggle to catch her breath for a moment and winced. “No need to thank me or nothin’.”

Michiru pushed herself to her feet. “I didn’t need saving. But I appreciate the gesture.”

“Mhm, you look like you had it all under control. Don’t go expecting more help in the future.” Michiru could just spot the frown that showed on her face while she secured her bag. “You hearin’ me? I’ve got better things to do, bigger fish to fry. Take my advice and stay indoors.”

“Do you really think that’ll work?” Michiru faced her, a scowl tugging at her lips that the other woman mirrored in an instant. “I’ve been running from them for years, they don’t just quit. Once they hear about you that’s all it takes. You’re on their list for life, and they intend to cage every one of us.”

“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know that! Have you ever been in one of their cages? You’ve spent how many years on the run? They were chasin’ you, sure, but you were in the open, you were still free.” A few heavy stomps were all it took for the woman to corner her against one of the tables. “I spent two years in their biggest, baddest prison. So don’t talk to me like I don’t know how bad it can get. Or I’ll blast that pretty face of yours.”

Michiru braced her hands against the table. Horrified as she was she met the woman’s gaze until she eventually turned away. Only then did she realize she’d been holding her breath and sucked in a quiet gasp. “My apologies.”

“Shut up.”

She flinched. She might have said more except the other woman pointed a finger at her. She looked unfocused for a moment. “No I mean it, shut up a second.”

They both went still. And then they heard the sirens. 

The woman swore under her breath and turned to give Michiru a hard look. “Get lost. Go back wherever you came from and lock the doors tight. I’ll…” She sighed and ran a hand through messy, pink locks. Their eyes met again and Michiru could tell they both knew what happened next. “Name’s Fetch, by the way.”

Her voice was quiet. “Michiru.” 

“That’s a mouthful.” Fetch let out a snort. “Get outta here.”

—  美智瑠  —

“You wanna hit up the bar later? Bunch of the guys are headed out to celebrate Rico’s birthday and he thought you might wanna join in.”

Michiru looked up from her desk. It was smaller than the normal secretary’s desk but technically she  _ was _ just the assistant. One of the loggers, Darren, stood in the doorway to the main building with an expectant look. “Oh, uh…”

“You wouldn’t have to drink, they’ve got an okay selection of non-alcoholic stuff.” Darren stuffed a hand in his pocket, using the other to gesture while he spoke. “Plus I’m the designated driver so I can keep the guys from getting too rowdy. I think Janice is coming too, and Leanne mentioned that she might be able to stop by for a few minutes.”

She considered the invitation while filing away paperwork. It’d be nice to socialize for awhile. Rico was a kind man, and she’d met his wife once before. Him, Darren, and Leanne were the only loggers that she felt comfortable around. Bruno was nice but there was always a bit of tension between them because of their mutual secret. Still, this could be her chance to make more friends in the company. She locked up with a decisive nod. “Alright. But I don’t have a car.”

“You can ride with me on the way there.” Darren looked proud of himself. “I’ll even let you ride shotgun so you aren’t squished between the guys.”

The drive only lasted twenty minutes and, just as promised, the Drunken Cub was a classy bar with plenty of safe drinks to choose from. A large table in the far corner had been reserved just for their celebration and one of Rico’s closest friends led the evening with a toast to the birthday boy. 

Michiru spent most of her time sipping at fruity soda while everyone shared stories or took turns playing pool. At one point they convinced her to play a round with them. By then everyone was thoroughly tipsy, making it an easy victory. 

She and Janice spent some time together with Leanne when she dropped in trash talking the men they worked with, and she was even coerced into dancing with them when someone played an upbeat song on the jukebox nearby. 

The hours flew by while they all had their fun. Michiru was in the middle of describing a time she swam with dolphins at the beach when a voice cleared behind her. She turned, a smile still on her face, to look at the pair of strangers standing there. “Pardon me if I’m interrupting, but I wanted to ask you a few question, miss.”

“Of course, ma’am.” Sugary soda still coursing through her, Michiru was too happy to notice the way Bruno choked on his beer at the far end of the table. 

“We’re searching for a lost woman, and she matches your description.” The woman pulled out a photocopy and in an instant all the color and happiness in the world drained away. She hadn’t worn her hair that long in ages, but Michiru would recognize her senior picture anywhere.

“Oh wow,” She breathed the words, hoping they would pass off as genuine surprise. “She really does.”

“Would your name happen to be Michiru Sato?”

Michiru shook her head. From behind her she could hear chairs shifting. “No, my name is Sayu Kirihara. I’m sorry to say I’ve never heard of her.”

“Are you certain?” The woman insisted. Her partner’s face was stony, completely unreadable, but she looked hopeful as she studied Michiru’s face. “Michiru’s been missing for some time. The last people to see her say she leapt out a window in a panic, we believe she may have suffered brain damage, specifically leading to memory loss. If you’d be willing to humor us… Think back over the last few years-”

“I think that’s enough questioning, madam.” A heavy hand settled on her shoulder and Michiru looked up to see Bruno facing the woman. “She knows who she is, that’s not the woman you’re looking for.”

“Sir-”

“I’m sorry, but as her employer and temporary guardian I’m only going to ask you once to leave. I hope you find this woman you’re searching for.”

The man beside the strange woman gave his partner a quick look and she shook her head. “Very well. We’re sorry to have disturbed you. Enjoy your evening.”

The group was silent while they watched the pair leave and before anyone could speak Bruno had Michiru on her feet in an instant. “Darren, Janice, it’s time to pack up and head home. Let me speak to Sayu for a moment and we’ll head out together.”

“Boss?” Darren watched them walk away with an unspoken question in his eyes before Janice ushered him towards the exit. 

Once they were out of earshot Bruno set his hands on Michiru’s shoulders. “You know who they were, right?”

“Those… They were with the special division, right?”

“The D.U.P., that’s right.” Bruno shuddered as he spoke the name. “I heard about them awhile back. Didn’t think I’d meet one face-to-face.”

Michiru’s heart raced in her chest. “They know who I am. They must know I’m working for you under a fake name, they’ll just keep coming for me.”

“I hate to agree with you. Listen, Janice knows my secret but I never told her about you. She might have her suspicions; smart as a tack she is. We’re gonna bring you back to my house and pack some bags. Go on ‘vacation’.”

“What about your company?”

Bruno rubbed the back of his neck. “Jan’s already doing half my job anyway, and she’s the next in line once I go missing. Life’ll move on for them, and I made a good mark on this place. C’mon, best not keep ‘em waiting.”

Michiru leaned into the arm Bruno put around her shoulders as he led the way out. The night was quiet once they reached open air. A slight breeze shook the branches overhead but little else disturbed the silence. They walked to Bruno’s car on the far side of the lot and stopped dead when they saw Janice and Darren encased in broken cement on each side of the SUV.

“If you scream my friend here will shove concrete so deep into your legs it’ll break the bone.”

Bruno leveled a scowl at the woman standing to his left. “What did you do to them?”

“They’re not dead. I know you care for them so much.” She stepped up close enough that if he dared Bruno could have decked her. Confidence shone in her eyes. “Such a bleeding heart. We’re not here for regular humans, anyway. Can’t go after my own kind. But you two?”

Michiru gasped as the concrete around them shifted, creeping up their ankles. 

“As long as we bring you in alive Central Command doesn’t give two shits what we do with you. Which is good, because I don’t appreciate being lied to.”

—  美智瑠  —

The streets of Rainier were empty when Michiru stepped off of the pier. The bustle of cars and panicked citizens had halted half an hour before when the D.U.P. put a final notice on restricted traffic between the islands. A light drizzle fell around her, leaving puddles in the streets and a good alibi for having wet clothes. Not that she couldn’t deal with the problem with her powers, but with everything rattling in her head she was too distracted to clean up.

Even the main square with its towering television screens had little in the way of foot traffic. No one was around to see her unlock the NexJen’s staff only door. Delia, the only late shift worker that was friendly with the store’s downstairs “residents”, gave her a weird look when Michiru strolled in wearing drenched clothes. 

“You should really carry an umbrella.” 

Michiru just shrugged and moved to start down the stairwell nearby. The hideaway looked just the same as when she left earlier except the chair in front of the main computer setup was empty. She veered away to an empty corner to begin pulling the water from her clothing, absorbing it into her skin. 

“I’m back!” She toed off her shoes and shuffled over to Eugene’s side of the basement. His bed was empty but his jacket was laid out on the sheets. It didn’t seem like he’d left. 

A surge of light filled the room and Michiru jerked around to see Eugene struggling to catch himself by the computers like he’d just fallen. He caught sight of her and rushed over. “That was  _ not _ thirty minutes.”

Arms opened to hug her but he hesitated at the last second. Michiru ducked her face to hide the way her cheeks heated. She stepped forward to wrap her arms around his chest. “I’m sorry. Needed more of a breather than I thought I would.”

“Do me a favor?” Eugene pulled his head back to look at her. “Try not to cut so many close calls with the D.U.Ps? I saw the alert from that checkpoint.”

She groaned and tried to hide her face in his shoulder. “I’ll be more careful. Wasn’t exactly fun to be shot at.”

“I’ll take your word on it.” 

For a moment they stood there holding onto each other, letting their emotions settle. Michiru was the first to break away. She ran a finger over her eyes and motioned for him to follow her into her makeshift bedroom. They say opposite each other on her mattress, with Eugene cross legged and wearing a worried expression. “Are- May I… What happened out there?”

“They recognized me, I think. I’ve been on the D.U.P’s radar for years now, and you saved me right when they managed to catch up. It wouldn’t surprise me if every checkpoint was looking out for me.”

He frowned but didn’t seem to disagree. “So they flagged you down. I heard some of the radio signal but it must have been right after you lost them. Sounded like a gunfight was still going on, though.”

Michiru nodded. She leaned towards him. “I met another conduit. She intervened and we talked a bit before they brought in reinforcements.”

“What kind of powers did she have?” Eugene sat up straighter.

“It’s hard to describe. It seemed like light. It was beautiful, Eugene.” Michiru smiled. 

“I think I know who she is. Did she give you her name?”

“Not really, she just said to call her Fetch. But I feel like that’s more of a nickname.”

“It’s okay. If it is her than it’s enough to know she’s still around.” His shoulders relaxed like a weight was lifted. He mirrored her smile and climbed to his feet. “Sounds like we should have a night in tonight. Thoughts on dinner?”

Michiru laid back on her mattress and made a show of thinking. “What do you recommend for eating while gaming?”

The look on his face of surprised delight immediately lifted her mood. “Well, you know,  _ ideally _ it’d be anything that doesn’t require both hands. So air, basically.”

They both laughed and he promised to find something suitable so she could boot up  _ Heaven’s Hellfire _ . 

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my friend Rae, who got into the game long after I did but surprised me with how enthused she was about it when I shared it with her. This little fic wouldn't exist without her. ❤
> 
> The Japanese script on the line breaks are simply meant to be Michiru's name, but if any fluent Japanese readers find that it reads incorrectly please let me know! I used the best resources I could find but I'm only about 98% that it's correct.


End file.
